Washing apparatus.



l. E. VIRDEN.

WASHING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED APILZQ, IsIs.

Patented May 15, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

1. E. VlRDEN.

WASHING APPARATUS.

APPucATmN FILED APR.29. 1916.

1,226,283 Patented May 15, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Fles..

JESSIE E. VIRDEN, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

\VASIIING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Ilatented May i5, i917.

Application led Ap1'129, 1916. Serial No. 94,298.

[o aZZ whom t may concern.'

Be it known that l, Jn'ssrn VIRDEN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Philadelphia, county of Philadelphia, and State ofPennsylvania, have invented a new and useiul Improvement in TashingApparatus, ot which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, whichform a part of this specification.

My invention relates to that class` of washing machines used inconnection with wash tubs, but which are Operated without directsubmersion in the water.

More particularly, my invention is used in conjunction with a corrugatedwash board which may be positioned upon the top of a wash tub, theclothes being lifted from the water onto the washboard and therescrubbed by means of my improved washing device. My device is in theform of a hollow pad with a corrugated face for scrubbing purposes, andprovided with a handle by which it may be operated. The washing pad maybe used independently upon an ordinary wash board or it may be mountedon rollers in connection therewith, provision being made for raisingthepad, in the latter case, for the placing of the wash thereunder.

I will now describe in detail the construction and operation of onepreferred embodiment of my invention, in connection with theaccompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a plan view, and Fig. 2 aperspective view, of my washing device in connection with an ordinarywash tub. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail shown partly in section. Fig. 4is an enlarged cross section through, and a portion of, a wash board.

The main element of my device is a hollow washing pad a having its underface Z) corrugated, as shown in Fig. 4, the corrugations beingrelatively closer than the corrugations of the wash board 0 with whichit is used. Pad L has a latchable door CZ, by which soap 00 may beinserted. The corrugated face Z9 is perforated to allow of the passageof water to and from the soap..

In use the garment to be washed, after being thoroughly wetted, isplaced upon the wash board c, and the pad a is then placed thereon withits corrugations running parallel with those of the wash board, and

rubbed vigorously thereover in a direction Y at right angles to saidcorrugations. lfn other words, the washing pad takes the place of thehands in the ordinary process of hand washing, but with much betterresults, and much less labor.

The handle of the washing pad may be arranged on its top, or on one ofits sides, as most convenient, and the washing pad may be used looselyand separately, or it may be connected up to slide in a runway over thewashboard as shown in the drawings.

The washing pad a is here shown with a handle c in front and at the backis hinged at f to a frame carrying wheels g in a groove in one or thelongitudinal members L of the washboard.

Members It are of suicient length t0 cover any ordinary tub, round orsquare, and are supplied with holes in which pins z' may be inserted toconiine said members against the tub sides and prevent any relative movement of the washboard, holding it securely during the washing operation.

The washing pad is raised on its hinge, by handle e, and wet clothes arelifted from the tub and placed upon the washboard. Then the pad isbrought down upon them and moved vigorously over them, the wheels grunning back and forth in groove y'.

In order to take the reaction of the pressure brought to bear uponhandle e in this operation, I provide rollers upon the ends ot' the pinsupon which wheels g turn. These rollers are arranged to bear against theunder side of a channel section Z attached to rear member t.

Thus the parts f, g, 7c form a carriage, confined in its movement byslot j and channel Z, and forming a guide for the washing pad. Pad andcarriage may be readily removed by moving them endwise out from beneaththe channel section Z.

A wheel m mounted on handle e may he provided to run in correspondinggroove n in the front member 71., if desired, to further enhance theease of movement of the washing pad.

In order to hold the washing pad in its raised position while arrangingthe clothes to be washed upon the wash board, I have provided a stand pattached to the washing pad. When the latter is turned up upon its hingef, instead of falling over backward, stand p is made so as to come torest rIhe washboard is preferably ofthe -corrugated form, and it hasbeen found to produce betterrresults if the eorrugations are wider orfarther apart than the corrugations in the washing pad, so that theywill never fit into each other, but each separatelyV engage theintervening clothes. This is true whether the washing pad is used withrollers, or is used in loose `form and simply applied to the wash boardby hand as first described.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim and desire toprotect by Letters Patent is: Y

l. A washing apparatus comprising a washboard havinga runway nearonelongitudinal edge thereof, an overhanging member extending` alongthesame edge of the board, a carriage and means thereon engaging saidrunway and overhanging member, and a pad pivoted on the carriage on anaxis extendingparallel with said runway and adapted to be swung to andfrom the washboard.

A2. A washing Yapparatus comprising a uf'ashboard having' runwaysadjacent to its opposite longitudinal edges, an overhanging memberextending along one edge of the washboard, a Carriage movable betweenone Y hanging member, a carriage,l two rollers movable with theearriage,one engaging the runway and the other extending under said overhangingmember,a pad pivoted on the carriage, and a handle on the pad wherebythe latter may be reeiproeated along the board.

In testimony of which invention, I haveY hereunto set my hand, atPhiladelphia, on

this 28th day of April, 1916.

JESSIE E. VIRDEN.

Copesof this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing theCommissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. C.

